The affliction described in Psalms 39 strikes David very deeply. There was guilt after seducing the wife of his most loyal soldier and then arranging to have this soldier killed. The guilt for David was heavy on his heart and his strength was sapped. He was at a really bad time in his life; a state of sorrow and helplessness. He faced enemies that were evil and slanderous.

David needed relief from the mood he was in. Many times, it is only after a crisis or difficult time that we understand how foolish we were. The blog post Are You a Fool Like Me offers a good example of how foolish we can be along with a three minute video on facts gathered while doing research on the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Atheists and agnostics believe it is foolish to believe that Jesus literally rose from the dead and seek to make Christians sound foolish. So much so that we sometimes don’t want to fight back or say anything just like David did in today’s passage.

David then came to the conclusion that it was best to speak out. He goes to God in prayer, ask for forgiveness, and sets out to find joy in life again. The difference in tone is stark. Before going to God in prayer, David was distressed and life was meaningless. After going to God in prayer, David made a complete turnaround from despair to unshakable hope.

This day with You Lord, we need you. Our mood can get down at times because the world doesn’t let us enjoy the present because we are worried about the future. This day we ask that we take in the positive affirmation You give us through Your Son. This is our plan for life and our treasure. Help us to lose ourselves in this plan so that we have the passion to live out this day to the fullest. Amen.